What comes of nightmares
by Dreamsand
Summary: Alfred's nightmare and it's consequences. - Tanz der Vampire, but a bit different. "Herbert was feminine, clingy and knew almost every dubious comment in existence. But he was also caring, smart and courteous."
1. Carpe Noctum

**Carpe Noctum**

**Disclaimer: **Still not mine, I tried to catch them at the artist's exit, but didn't succeed. Roman Polanski's.

**A/N: **Dedicated to Victoria. I can't thank her enough for the wonderful tip she gave us! You're amazing you know that? This story is going to have approximately ten chapters, I really hope to pull it of this time and reviews would really help me to keep on writing. It will only take you half a minute of your life, I'm already happy with a: "Good job". Critic is appreciated, but please no flaming.

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_He had to escape! This was all a dream, a bad dream__… a nightmare. Alfred tried to open his eyes but his lids didn't comply and stayed closed, scenes playing out in the darkness. Showing him things that he didn't want to see. Sarah was there, they danced, it was perfect but deep inside he could feel the dark treat lurking in the night. Just out of their sight. He was looking at her, but she was moving around and he couldn't keep his eyes on her. Like a fairy she flitted from one side to the other, sometimes disappearing completely._

_His__ previous bad feeling proved to be correct when out of nowhere a man appeared, long dark hair falling down his back. The vampire's eyes were so dark that for a moment Alfred thought he would fall into their depths and never get up again. A little voice in the back of his mind told him that this black vampire was the Count von Krolock but he didn't want to think about that. It scared him even more… he just had to save Sarah. She was being pulled from his arms by the vampire. He ran after them but he didn't seem to get any closer. He wanted to scream her name but no sound came out of his throat. _

_When he managed to get her out of the vampire's grip he thought it was over. But what followed was a cat-and-mouse game between the three of them. Sarah was in his arms, and back with the vampire. Then he himself was tugged into an iron embrace. He saw Sarah stretching out her hand to him but she was chased away. Alfred could sense the vampire's breath in his neck now and the low hissing sound that send shivers down his spine. Lips and teeth caressed his skin and then the vampire struck._

_When the vampire bit him it was like he could physically feel the pain, as if he could feel the blood pumping to the gaping hole in his neck and streaming out into the vampire's mouth. He screamed until he couldn't scream anymore, but still he didn't wake up. He stopped struggling and let himself fall back against the dark man. _

_Once the last drop of blood left his neck, he fell to the floor. Almost immediately he could feel soft hands on his face. Sarah's hands. The soft, salty tears that fell on his face told him that she was crying. _

_After a while his strength began to return to him and he managed to stand up. __Looking at his only love scared him.. She was still beautiful, but that beauty was enhanced by the sweet smell coming from her. The smell of fresh blood running through young veins. _

_They danced again__, and with each step it became more and more difficult to keep his teeth out of her neck. He wanted to have a taste, but he wouldn't be the first. His master, the dark vampire, wanted the first sip of her delicious blood. He heard it, like a voice speaking inside his head. _

_He tried to calm Sarah down by smiling at her before lifting her up. Her eyes sparkled, she didn't know what was going to happen to her and for a moment he wanted to put her down and tell her to save herself. But something stopped him. He could feel the pair of eyes in his back and he turned around. _

_The count's son was standing there, looking at him. His eyes were lighter as his father's, just like his hair. The long silver locks that looked like strands of an angel's hair. The young man forced him to bring Sarah forward where the black vampire was waiting, with just one look. And so he did. _

_As soon as he got the girl in his hands the vampire attacked. He bit her neck with such fury that he seemed like a wild animal. A predator that could only act on instincts. There was so much blood. Alfred screamed again._

With a start he sat up in his bed. He could feel the soft mattress and the blankets that were clammy with sweat. Alfred was shivering from head to toe as he thought of his nightmare. It had been so real that he could've sworn that his teeth were longer and that he was still hungry for blood. That Sarah was dead.

Tears of desperation started trickling down his cheeks and once he had begun crying there was no stopping anymore. He hiccupped through his tears, the dark still vast around him.

Then, a hand touched his face and Alfred backed away, shocked. He tried to make out the person to whom the hand belonged to but he couldn't see a thing. Again his tears were wiped away by the soft, cool hand. The gesture made him cry even more and the next thing he knew there were arms around him, holding him tight. The person sang a soft tune under their breath and let him cry until he hadn't any tears left.

The melody reminded him of the song Sarah had sung when she bathed. Three high notes, sounding clear as a bell. She was still here, she was here to comfort him and tell him that there was nothing to be scared of.

The voice eventually shushed him to sleep and the person held him until he was fully in the land of dreams before lowering him onto the bed again. A soft sigh, accompanied by the brush of cool lips against his brow were the last things he noticed.

When Alfred woke up again it was morning. A golden sun illuminated the room but there was no trace of the person who had calmed him down. He was certain now that it had been Sarah. She was the only one who could sing like that. He was sure that she had heard him scream and wanted to take care of him just like he wanted to take care of her.

His feeling of happiness was quickly diminished when the Professor announced that they were going to explore the castle and find the crypt where the vampires were resting. He tried to protest, to convince his mentor that it was really unnecessary and that they shouldn't act without thinking. But the old man had already left. When Alfred found him again he was walking on a high bridge and excitedly pointing at two sarcophagi.

Of course the young student ruined the whole 'mission', but upon seeing the vampires, thoughts of his nightmare came back to him and he didn't have the strength to drive a stake trough their hearts. He just couldn't. The count didn't look any less threatening in his sleep, and his son no less angelic.

The Professor gave him a scolding for being a weak and unprofessional assistant, and he had no choice but to apologise. There was no way that he was going to kill a vampire, as much as he wanted to… he couldn't just take a life, even if it was an undead life.


	2. Of Books and Kisses

**Of Books And Kisses**

**Disclaimer: **Nope, still not mine, but hope dies last. Roman Polanski's.

**A/N:** Some small parts of this chapter are based on the 'technical difficulties' during the show the 5th of March 2010 in Vienna.

"Books!" it took the Professor two seconds to reach the enormous bookshelves that were plastered to every wall of the room. Alfred had to admit that he himself was impressed too. Even the University didn't have this many books, and listening to the Professor rambling on about them, meant that they were probably rare and various. From the Greek philosophers to the early occultists, with every new writer his mentor found, Alfred could hear him squeal in joy, like a young schoolgirl.

Suddenly there was another sound, one that had nothing to do with books or Professors. It was a much sweeter sound. The song, three clear notes, was reverberating trough the air around them. Sarah! She was the only one who sang like that, maybe there would be a chance to save her after all. If he could just find her everything would be okay, they would flee this desperate, dark castle and have a fairytale ending. He looked around, only to see the Professor disappearing between the books, and snuck out of the library.

The corridors were gloomy and behind the windows he could see the last light of day disappear. He hurried past stone gargoyles and portraits that seemed to follow him with their eyes. The sound of Sarah's singing was the only thing guiding him but he wasn't afraid. Finally he could hear where the song came from; a closed door to his right. Carefully he laid his hand on the doorknob and pushed it down, it gave way and the door opened with a creaking sound that seemed typical for an old castle.

When he entered he noticed that he was in a bathroom, a very luxurious bathroom, but the thing that drew his attention away was Sarah, sitting in a richly decorated tub. She had heard him come in and looked up immediately as he closed the door. "It's you!" She sounded almost happy and Alfred's heart soared in his chest.

"Sarah!" He ran to her and knelt down next to the bath, she didn't have bite marks in her neck, he was still in time. "Thank God. You're alive."

She nodded, a happy smile gracing her beautiful features. "Have you been invited to the ball too?"

Didn't she have any idea about the vampires? Why would he want to be invited to dance with those monsters. "You have to flee with me! I'll save you, and you'll never have to be scared ever again. I promise I will protect you! Please Sarah!" He took her hand, his eyes pleading her to come with him. But she didn't seem to be impressed at all.

"Have you seen my gorgeous dress? The Count gives me all these things because he likes me." She pointed at a chair, a blood red dress was draped over it's seat. "I'll dance with you. Of course the first dance is for his Excellency, but I'm sure I'll have time to also dance with you."

At the one hand Alfred wanted to tell her again to run away with him, but her words convinced him that she was not going to come anyway. And dancing with her sounded great. With the music playing and romantic candlelight all around them.

"Please?" Sarah's hand reached up to him and cupped his cheek. A few seconds later their lips met in an innocent kiss. Kissing her was even better as Alfred had imagined, and he revered in the short time that he got what he wanted.

When they broke apart he couldn't do anything but make her happy, even if that meant going to a ball full of vampires. "Yes… yes… of course I'll dance with you." Her smile was enough of a reward for him.

"Now turn around, I'm getting out," Sarah said, twirling her finger around in the air to indicate that he was to turn his back to her.

Alfred wandered to the window, outside there was even more snow as last night but the sky was clear and silver stars were twinkling like diamonds. The moon seemed brighter then ever. Was this what love did to you? Turn your world upside down and change everything, only to make it better as it was. He didn't know and didn't care. He loved Sarah. He was sure of that now.

When he turned back to tell her that, the bathroom was empty. Where was she? Alfred felt panic rising up inside him. She had been in the bath only a few seconds ago.

Then the singing started again, it sounded not so far away this time and the young assistant dashed out of the bathroom to find his love. Again he ran trough the same hallways as before, following the heavenly voice. He didn't wait in front of the large double doors when he realised that was where the sound came from. He just pushed them open and dashed in. Halfway the huge room he stood still. He had arrived in a mirror ballroom, shining as if it had just been polished.

Instead of Sarah waiting for him there was a tall blonde man. The Count's son Herbert. He swallowed and tried to back away. "I'm sorry. I… I didn't want to…"

"Stay," In a few strides the vampire was next to him, "I just want to talk with you." Alfred felt a cool, slim hand on his cheek.

"But I really have to go back to the Professor." He tried to talk himself out of this _conversation_ that Herbert had planned but the other wouldn't listen to him.

The hand moved from his cheek to his eyes, stroking the skin beneath them. "Your eyes!" It sounded as if the other man had never seen a pair of eyes before and Alfred was unsure of how to respond to this sudden exclamation.

"My… my eyes?"

"They have such dark circles under them. Didn't you sleep well? I know that first nights here in the castle are always difficult but I figured that after that first nightmare you would dream beautiful dreams."

Alfred didn't even realise, that there was no way that the Count's son could know about his nightmare. He was to busy with an escape plan to notice anything.

"I heard about a ball," The student tried to distract Herbert, who just continued stroking every piece of the boy's exposed skin. "A ball!" he tried to remind him again.

"Ah yes," with a soft kiss on the tip of Alfred's nose the Count's son moved away from him, "Tonight! It will be so romantic with you in my arms."

The assistant shivered involuntarily, the way the vampire looked at him made him feel highly uncomfortable. Suddenly he was pulled close to the other man and before he realised what was happening they were waltzing through the ballroom. Not able to run away he just followed Herbert's paces, the mirrors were spinning around them, but the strange thing was that only one person could be seen moving there. He stopped in the middle of the dance and stumbled backwards in shock.

"I'm not hurting you," was that just his imagination or did the vampire sound really hurt, "I showed that before didn't I?"

Alfred had no idea what he was talking about but was close enough to the door to escape. He started running back, trying to recognise the paintings he had passed earlier on. He heard his name being called out by Herbert, but the footsteps, he'd expected to hear chasing him, stayed away.

To his surprise he found the library without any trouble, the Professor was still bustling around and didn't seem to have noticed him leaving. For a moment his thought drifted back to the Count's son, why had he not tried to bite him. With his words he'd made clear that he wanted Alfred's blood, but he'd never tried. And he hadn't chased him afterwards, it didn't make sense to the student at all, but all too soon he was distracted by his mentor piling books up in his arms, reciting the names of all the authors. Dragging him back into the real world.


	3. The Meaning of Love

**The meaning of love**

**Disclaimer: **The day I own them I will die of happiness. But since I'm not dead. Roman Polanski's.

Herbert's sad eyes followed the young student out of the door. Nothing he'd done or said had made any difference; the assistant was scared to death. The Count's son bit his lip and tried to swallow away his anger and hurt. No one had ever rejected him when he'd made it clear that he desired them. But Alfred, this… this _boy_, had run away as if he was the devil himself.

With a deep sigh he walked out of the ballroom, maybe tonight he'd have another chance, and this time he wouldn't ruin it! He would get the boy to fall into his arms out of free will and everything would be right again.

For a moment last night he had actually believed that Alfred would be able to love him, the student had lain in his arms and cried after his nightmare. Herbert had immediately felt guilty for creating the dream, he'd meant to show the boy his desires, it was never his idea to scare him. But after an hour Alfred had fallen into a peaceful slumber and Herbert had to leave, fleeing for the daylight.

The soft light of a fire from his father's study caught his attention. Softly he entered and saw the Count sitting in his high chair in front of the hearth. Herbert walked forward and stood still next to the other vampire.

"Goodnight father," he tried to get his attention, "Is everything ready for the ball?"

"It is." Von Krolock answered before looking up at his son, "Where were you? I'd have thought you were getting ready."

"I was _distracted_," Herbert smirked, reliving the short scene in his memory. "The company for this year's ball is simply enchanting."

"You're talking about the boy?" It was a rhetorical question, after living with Herbert for hundreds of years he was bound to know about his… habits. "I hope you controlled yourself, he's a guest. You didn't bite him did you?"

"Father!" Herbert cried out in an offended tone. "I'm not going to bite him! I love him!"

The Count laughed a cold, heartless laugh. "It doesn't matter now, does it? The hunger will force you to _because_ you love him. You will break his sweet, innocent soul and there will be nothing you can do to stop that. Trust me. I know." He knew how the words would break his son's heart but it was the truth and Herbert had to realise that there were no happy endings for vampires.

But apparently the blonde wasn't going to give up so easily, "You don't know anything father! He is not like your girls. And _I_ am not like _you_!" His eyes were full of anger, how dare his father say things like that to him.

"Herbert, please," The Count placed a hand on his son's shoulder in an attempt to calm him down, "I know you hate it, but this is just the way these things work. We are vampires. The blood of those we love smells sweeter, we can't stop ourselves. I can't either."

Herbert caught on, "The girl. You love her."

"For now. She's warm and oh so innocent…" his voice trailed off.

"But -?"

"But once she's one of us, I know I will forget about her. Like I forget all of them. And this time it is just so hard. She touched something in me that I haven't felt in a long time."

"Maybe it will be different tonight," Herbert tried to console him but it felt more like a wish for himself. A wish that he would be able to hold his distance and let his Alfred live. He'd rather see the student leave him as a human, then to keep him in the castle forever as a vampire, because Alfred would never forgive him and he didn't know if he could handle that. "Father?"

"Yes."

"You told me that you haven't… felt love in a long time. But you did feel it. Who was she?" For a moment he doubted if von Krolock would answer the question, the other vampire was so silent, staring into the hearth as if a story was playing out in the depth of the flames. But then he spoke, and his voice sounded so broken that Herbert wondered for a moment if it was really his father speaking.

"She was the most beautiful woman who ever lived, with hair as silver blonde as the moon and eyes blue as the sky," he sighed a little, "I was still human and you can't imagine how I loved her. She was everything I desired and the day she said she loved me must have been one of the happiest in my life." His eyes were looking at a fixed point in the room but his thoughts seemed miles away, years back in time.

"She got pregnant, the villagers were so angry when they found out that I was forbidden to ever visit her again, to set foot within hundred meters of her. Can you imagine how empty this castle is when your heart is broken? I wanted nothing more as to lose myself in darkness, so that I would never have to think again. For months I haunted my own house as a ghost. But then my wish was granted," his soft voice was interrupted by his own humourless laugh, "One day a man knocked at the door. He _was_ darkness, and when he spoke to me I believed his every word. He promised me happiness. He said I would be strong enough to take her with me and live forever with her by my side. I let him bite me." The thought of that seemed to faze him less as the thought of his former lover, as if he didn't really remember it anymore.

Herbert noticed that he was totally caught up in the story and when his father stopped speaking he almost wanted to jump up and force him to continue. All he could muster was a little breathless: "And did you go to her?"

"Yes. I felt like I could do anything if I just set my mind to it. I went to the village; I took her out of her house without any trouble. The stars were so bright when we lay down in the grass, she placed her hand in mine, it was warm and soft and I thought I had it all. But I couldn't control the thirst." Again he stopped talking.

"You bit her?"

"She died in my arms. It was never my intention to kill her but my love for her was so overpowering that I _had _to. When she woke up as a vampire she had changed… she was depressed and cold. A few days later she stepped into the sunlight, living as a creature of darkness had never been her destiny. She was too innocent. Too pure."

Herbert looked into the fire, at loss for words. His father had never told him this particular story and now he felt like he had gained something so personal, that he was afraid to break the silence and ruin this newfound trust between them.

But then the Count spoke up again, finishing the story that his son had considered ended. "She had given birth only a few days before. A son. A little boy with her hair and eyes."

"Me."

Von Krolock gave him a sad smile but the magic was broken when someone knocked at the door. It was Koukol, telling them, although it was more grunting and mumbling, that the Professor and his assistant had found there way to the cemetery. With a swirl of his cloak the vampire Count stood up, he waved the hunchbacked servant away, "I'll deal with them." Then he walked towards the door, just before leaving he turned around to face his son. "Go and change Herbert, the ball will commence shortly. One more thing…" his look was a little softer now, "If you can get the boy to succumb to you, he's yours. If you can't… the other vampires will have him. Whatever way we turn it, his fate has been decided ever since he stepped trough the gate. No amount of love will change that."

"Yes father." No one could imagine his heartbreak at speaking those two fatal words.

**A/N: "**Who was Herbert's mum anyway?" "Well, we know she was blonde." – This chapter gave me so much trouble! I'm sorry for the lack of Alfred (Alfred/Herbert), this just had to be written. Next chapter will make up for that.


	4. A Bloody Dance

**A Bloody Dance**

**Disclaimer: **I want them! I want them so badly! But too bad… they're not mine. Roman Polanski's.

**A/N: **Writing this in exchange for a drawing, but also because I _want_ to finish this story. Trying to sneak a peek every once in a while. Yes, I took the Oberhausen coat… it fits him better.

The ballroom was bathed in candlelight, but that still didn't quit chase the dark shadows away. It made the castle look even more sinister and scary but Alfred couldn't find himself to care. He was here to save Sarah, and if that meant overcoming his fears, then that was exactly what he would do. Together with the Professor he had obtained a disguise by knocking out two vampires. His mentor was wearing an armour while he himself was dressed in a long pink coat with more lace as he had ever thought possible.

His dark blonde locks were covered with a white wig that made him think of pictures he had seen of Amadeus Mozart, the famous composer. A fan completed the picture and all in all the young assistant thought he was unrecognisable, which was a good thing in a ballroom filled with vampires who lusted for your blood.

He let his eyes roam over the crowd of monsters; they were dressed in attires that seemed to come from every possible time period he had studied in school, and more. From the moment the Count came down from a spiralling staircase all the attention was drawn to him.

When his Excellency announced that there were two new victims for the vampires it wasn't hard to guess whom he meant. For a moment Alfred wanted to flee, run until his legs couldn't carry him anymore and get as far away from the Transylvanian castle as was humanly possible. But the thought of Sarah kept him there, and the Professor of course, who was roughly pulling him back by his arm.

Sarah. At the moment he thought her name she entered the room, looking even more stunning as she normally did. Her dress was the colour of blood, just like her lips, and she looked like a princess from a fairy tale. She came closer and closer and the student wanted to grab her hand and pull her away, but the Count was faster. He offered her his hand and without hesitation she took it, seemingly lost in his eyes.

Time seemed to stop and every sound seemed to die away as the vampire brought his teeth closer to her rosy neck.

The moment seemed to be caught in eternity, but then the Count attacked. He buried his sharp fangs in her skin and blood welled up from the gaping wound. Alfred's knees weakened at the sight of it and all too soon his legs couldn't keep him up anymore and he fell.

Strangely enough he didn't hit the stone tiles under him. A pair of arms held him up and he was thankful that the Professor had been close enough to catch him.

"Good evening mon chérie," a soft voice, accompanied by a soft hand stroking his cheek, reached his senses. Wait a minute, that wasn't the Professor. Almost afraid to look, Alfred opened his eyes. The person holding him up had long blonde hair and dark eyes that seemed to look into his very soul.

"H- Herbert." The Count's son was smirking down at him and again the student felt a sense of unease. He didn't know exactly what the vampire wanted of him but he was sure that he wasn't going to like it.

"Did you think I wouldn't recognise you?"

Alfred almost wanted to reply that he had, indeed, thought that, but swallowed his words again, not knowing how the vampire would take such a statement. "Well… I… I…"

"But how could I not?! Your face is forever imprinted in my mind, and not even a fan like that can hide your beautiful eyes."

The student wasn't sure if he should take that as a compliment, or a sign to run away as fast as he could. Before he could do any of those two Herbert had begun speaking again.

"But pink is really not your colour," pale hands motioned to the stolen coat, "Next time you should come to me, I will give you something better." Fingers ran over the fabric of his attire and he shivered involuntarily. "You should try blue, it will compliment your eyes." Another smile, and a cold hand reaching out to grab his. "Dance with me?"

"Wh… what?"

"Will you dance with me Alfred?" Herbert repeated patiently, pulling the student closer to him.

It wasn't as if he could actually refuse, and resigned he let himself be pulled onto the dance floor. The realisation that this could be one of his last moments as a human slowly dawned on him. Surely the Count's son was going to bite him.

But to his surprise that didn't immediately happen. Two strong arms were now around his waist and his feet seemed to automatically follow Herbert's steps. The vampires around them didn't notice the new dancing couple and Alfred felt a bit safer. Not that the blonde vampire was making him feel good, but at least now there was only one monster paying attention to him. And if it had to be, well, it could better be one that didn't look as if he had come straight from a horror story. Herbert looked surprisingly human, though a bit pale.

The music seemed to fill the whole hall around them with a soft, slow tune. He twirled in the vampires arms and for a moment he forgot about all the trouble that had been thrown upon him, completely against his will.

Only they counted now, lightly dancing and losing themselves in the music that seemed almost alien to the student's ears, as if it was made by a heavenly orchestra. Never had Alfred imagined that he would enjoy dancing with a vampire, but now he did.

Herbert's light steps made it seem as if they were floating, and he didn't feel like an assistant who, on multiple occasions, had managed to trip over his own feet.

All too soon the dance was over and they stood still in the middle of the ballroom. Herbert looked into his eyes, again the student noticed how uncomfortable he felt under the other man's attention.

"Will you allow me to bite you?" The question came like from thin air and Alfred stepped back in shock.

"You know that I love you. I wouldn't hurt you. The others would. Please." The student took another step back, afraid of what the other could do to him but almost… touched that he would care to ask.

"Alfred? I know you're scared. And I understand that you don't want to become one of us. But it's choosing between two evils my love. It's me or someone else, someone who won't care about hurting you. There is no escape." They both moved, Alfred back, and Herbert forwards, his hand outstretched to the young man. The student collided with another body and spun around, eyes wide.

He let out a relieved sigh. He had bumped into Sarah. _His _Sarah.

"If you will excuse us Herbert," the girl, almost a young woman, said, while taking Alfred's hand. "I think it's my turn to dance with him."

Again he was pulled along but this time a smile played around his lips. He didn't even notice the sad look on the Count's son's face as they slowly disappeared from his view.

"Oh Sarah. I'm so glad you came! He had almost…" he shivered at the thought of what the vampire had implied, no, explicitly said, "If it weren't for you I would be dead by now."

A new song started and he placed a hand on her waist, feeling her hand on his shoulder. The waltz played as they danced in tune, a perfect dance. Alfred got lost in her eyes, the eyes of his first love, his _only_ love. "We will be free soon." He softly whispered, being close enough to her so that she could hear his every word. "Together we'll escape this horrible place and we can be free forever. I'll take you to Venice, I've read about it and it's the most beautiful city in the world. Gondolas, palaces, the sea!"

Her face lit up at those words. "Free…" she softly repeated after him.

"Yes. Forever, just you and me. The Professor will give you a blood transfusion and with a few days of rest you'll be yourself again." He didn't notice how her image had long since faded from the mirrors.

"Oh Alfred." Sarah rested her head against his chest and the student sighed in contentment. Yes, this was how it was supposed to be. But it were her next words that took his breath away and made his heart stop for just a moment. "I love you."

She loved him. The most beautiful, kind girl in the world loved him. Not the Count. Him, Alfred the assistant of a, he had to admit, confused Professor.

"I lo…" but he could never finish his sentence. A pair of teeth sank into his neck, _her_ teeth. The pain was excruciating and he screamed, trying to escape from the arms of the girl whom he had longed for, for what seemed like an eternity. Everything was gone now, how could she have said that she loved him when all she wanted was to bite him.

He could feel his heart pumping harder to make up for the loss of blood, but it only ended up streaming out of the wound and into Sarah's mouth. Around him he could hear the vampires hissing and calling, cursing the girl for stealing their diner away.

He felt weaker with every moment until everything went black and he collapsed in the middle of the ballroom.


	5. New Beginnings and Old Fears

**New Beginnings**** and Old Fears**

**Disclaimer: **If they were mine? Do you really think the musical would have ended the way it did? Roman Polanski's.

With a start Alfred sat upright. What had happened? He was lying in a soft, big bed and although the room around him was dark, he could see everything with a clarity that made it seem like he was in broad daylight.

Slowly the memories began to return to him. He had been dancing at the ball. First with Herbert en then with Sarah. After that there had been so much pain and in a reflex he reached for his neck. His fingers touched two little holes but instead of the blood he had expected to feel, there was only dry, soft skin.

He looked down at himself and noticed that he wasn't wearing the frockcoat anymore, somebody had removed it, together with his shoes and cravat. He assumed that it had been the same person as the one who had washed his neck and laid him in this room.

He watched the chamber with more interest now. It was big, like all the rooms in the castle. The furniture looked old but not infrequently used, there wasn't a lot of dust and the sheets smelled clean. It surprised him that he noticed something like that, before it kicked in that he was a vampire now. If the Professor was right his senses would be at least ten times as good as before.

He let himself fall back into the pillows and sighed. He couldn't change the fact that he was a creature of darkness now, but the thought that it had been Sarah who had done it… Tears welled up in his eyes but he swallowed them away. It wouldn't do to start crying now. It wouldn't bring him any further. Logic. Desperately he tried to hold on to that one word that represented his old life, his human life.

It was only than that he noticed the room was dark, curtains were blocking every little bit of light that could possibly come from the windows. But an instinct inside him alerted him to the fact that it was night and that, even if the curtains weren't closed, there was no danger.

Still a bit insecure he threw his legs over the side of the bed and placed his feet on the ground. The tiles that once had seemed cold had a pleasantly normal temperature now. For the first time since waking up a soft smile lit up his boyish features.

A bit more certain now he stood up with a grace that he had never before possessed. It was only now that he noticed how thirsty he was, his throat was dry and his stomach craved blood. Blood, the thought didn't repulse him like it used to, it attracted him now. He needed it, needed it like nothing before in his life.

Softly he walked to the door and carefully pushed it open. The corridor was dark, only one or two candles on the walls lighted his path but this also wasn't a problem. If it wasn't for the thirst Alfred would have marvelled at all this new abilities but he was only driven forward by his desperate desire to feed.

A shadow moved over the walls just behind a corner and the young vampire crept closer. He caught sight of a hint of red fabric and rushed forward. As soon as he saw who the other person was he staggered back again. His back hit a wall and he shivered uncontrollably.

"Alfred?" Sarah's soft voice sounded wrong to his ears, cruel and emotionless, "Oh Alfred! I thought I killed you…" she started talking but the student cut in with a painful expression on his face.

"You did." He softly replied, still shaking, "You murdered me." It seemed to Sarah that he was trying to crawl back into the wall in fear.

"But don't you see… it's better this way." She stepped closer with an outstretched hand and smiled as reassuring as she could. This only caused Alfred to shiver more violently and tears formed in his blue eyes.

"Please… please… don't hurt me. Don't… I…"

"What is it Alfred?" Again she stepped closer and the first teardrops ran down his cheeks.

"I loved you. All I did was love you and you did _this_ to me… you damned me for loving you."

This caused the young woman to stop and look at him questioningly. "I didn't mean to… I'm sorry." Her apology was heartfelt but Alfred ran, not able to be close to her, scared of everything she was capable of.

He ran, first until he couldn't see her anymore, than until she was out of earshot and until he finally lost his way.

That was when the delicious smell of blood found it's way into his nostrils. It was sweeter as anything he'd smelled before, almost godly in its perfection. And he was unable to resist the magnetic pull it had on him. When he came closer he could hear a heart beating inside a ribcage, it was pumping the glorious blood around with soft, steady beats. He licked his lips and attacked.

His fangs tore open the dry flesh of his victim, leaving the veins open to poor the blood into his mouth. Even the wonderful smell couldn't have prepared him for the taste of the warm red liquid on his tongue. Flowing down his throat and easing the thirst for a while. It was sweet and bitter at the same time, the metallic aftertaste was just as good and for a moment Alfred couldn't imagine ever having eaten something else, or ever wanting to. That was until he noticed whose lifeless body it was that he was now holding in his arms. With a gasp he dropped it to the floor.

"Pr- Professor."

The body of his mentor was broken, laying on the floor like a ragdoll with his skin pale and wrinkled. The only piece of contrast was the huge red stain on his neck. The last drops of blood were rolling down the old man's skin, tormenting the young vampire with eyes as big as teacups.

Slowly he brought a finger to his own mouth where the same blood coloured his face too. "Professor." The student had to lean against a wall to regain himself but instead he sank to the floor and started crying uncontrollably.

He had killed Professor Abronsius, the man who had been like a father to him for as long as he could remember. The man who believed that by becoming a vampire your soul was lost forever. He cried for his mentor and his own innocence that had now been lost completely. He had killed another human, a living, breathing creature. And he had done it just because he couldn't control himself. Thick tears rolled over his cheeks and he buried his face in his hands while his whole body shook with sobs. He hadn't wanted to kill the Professor. Never!

After what seemed like hours but was probably only a few minutes, he felt strong arms wrap themselves around his body and he was pulled against a broad, definitely not female, chest. Someone stroked his hair and made calming noises, shushing him softly and tenderly.

"It's okay, mon cherie, it's all okay. I'm here now. Don't cry, it wasn't your fault." The person, who Alfred by now had identified as Herbert, rocked him back and forth.

"But… but it… it was." He hiccupped trough his tears, "I was… was the one who… who bit him…"

"You're a young vampire. These things happen."

"But they shouldn't… it's not… not fair!" Alfred tried to free himself from the embrace but the count's son didn't let him go.

"Calm down. I know it isn't fair, no one said it would be."

"I don't want to live like this!"

The student didn't notice how Herbert held him even closer at those words. "Please don't say such things. I couldn't bare to lose you." He held the boy close to him until he had calmed down and then helped him to stand up. "I'll take you back to your room. Dawn is almost breaking and you need your sleep. I will make sure that the Professor wakes up in a safe place, he will be fine."

"He will be a vampire!"

"But he will be fine. I promise." He emphasized the last two words and with that he slowly guided the student back to his room.

"Good day mon cherie. Sweet dreams."

**A/N: **Sorry for the terribly late update. There has been some personal stuff going on that made it impossible for me to write on. But don't despair, I _will_ finish this story, there are lots of surprises in store. Oh… and reviews make me very, very, very, very happy, I could really do with some sunshine now and a simple 'Good job' (or something akin to that) from _you_ can make my day just that bit brighter!


	6. Kindness and Friendship

**Kindness and Friendship  
****A/N:** Sorry again for the late update. I _will_ finish this but you will have to have some patience. University is robbing me of all my spare time.**  
Disclaimer: **Give them to me and I'll be your best friend forever. Seriously. Who said I couldn't be bought. Roman Polanski's.

"Alfred, are you awake?" Another night had broken and Herbert stood in front of Alfred's door, waiting to be let in. A soft voice came from within but the words were incomprehensible. "Alfred?" again no answer. Herbert was already thinking over his options when a strangled sob came from within and, without a second though, he opened the door.

What he saw made his heart stop, Alfred was sitting against the headboard of the bed, his knees pulled up to his chest as if he'd tried to make himself as small as possible.

Slowly he approached him and when he was within reach he softly touched the boy's arm. "You didn't sleep?" it wasn't as much a question as a statement. The student hugged his knees tighter at Herbert's touch and shook his head. "I couldn't." Suddenly he seemed to remember something and in an almost pleading tone he breathed: "The professor…?"

"Is alright, I brought him to the library, it's always dark in there. I just thought he'd rather wake up there than anywhere else." Alfred just nodded as a sign he'd heard the count's son.

Herbert tried to comfort his little student by pulling him into an embrace but Alfred stayed still and didn't respond. His desire for contact from the last night had completely disappeared again. He pulled away as quickly as possible and looked scared and uncomfortable.

Looking at the young boy like this made Herbert's heart break. He searched his mind for another way to help him but the only solution he could think of didn't really appeal to him. Only when he saw fresh tears on Alfred's cheeks he decided to propose it anyway. He _needed _to help his love.

"Shall I get you Sarah?" He pronounced her name with a tone that made it sound like 'little witch'. "Maybe she can make things seem better…" He hated saying that but it had to be done. The fear that immediately woke in Alfred's eyes however made him wish he'd held his mouth shut.

"No! No… no please…" What was it with this boy? Hadn't he been in love with her only two days ago? "She said… that she loved me... and killed me."

Something inside Herbert wanted to reason with him, Alfred had killed the professor and had loved him too. But the stronger, egoistic part of him said that his rival had played herself out of the picture. Helping her to win Alfred's affections was sabotaging his own chances.

He kept quiet about it and watched as Alfred stood up. The student took a small book from a nearby table and held it out for him to take. "I forgot to give this back to you." He had changed like the tides, the sad, scared look was still in his eyes but he had forced himself to be strong now he knew that his mentor was safe.

"What is it?" Herbert tried to take the book but Alfred let go before he had it in his grip and it fell to the ground. They both went on their knees to pick it up and their hands touched above the black cover. Something in Alfred moved but he couldn't name it, a slight fluttering in his stomach when the soft, white fingers touched his own.

He settled for a déjà-vu, this scene was too similar to something that had happened at the Inn, when he and Sarah had both grasped for the same sponge.

Uncomfortable he stood up and handed it back to Herbert, who as also on his feet again. "A… a lover's guide," he stuttered, "I found it in the library and saw your… your name inside. I didn't mean to take it, it's just…"

"No problem, it's there for a reason isn't it."

Alfred smiled relieved.

"But you can do me a favour in return…" the smile faded and the count's son kept him in the illusion for a few seconds, just to tease. When the student's features turned to panic he took pity on him and laid out his plan: "You come out to take a walk with me, just get out of this dusty room for a while. I will promise to behave and afterwards, if you feel better, you can go to see the professor."

The doubt was clear in the student's eyes. "I don't know-"

The situation felt weird to Alfred, he was still scared of the blonde but he was the only one he could rely on. Herbert was the only one in the castle who had tried to comfort him, that had to count for something. After their encounter in the bathroom the count's son had been nothing but nice, although a bit clingy and far to fond of touching for Alfred's liking.

"Just a walk," slim fingers grazed his hand, "Nothing more." Alfred never found out what it was that pulled him over the edge. Maybe it was the gentle tone of the words, or the tiredness. But finally he gave in and nodded.

They walked, their footsteps clear in the snow outside the castle, even in the light of a half moon. At first they were silent, just walking next to each other without a word. Herbert enjoyed the company of the younger man and Alfred was miles away in his own thoughts.

After a while they started to talk and for the first time in months, ever since he'd left Königsberg with the professor, Alfred found himself enjoying an intelligent conversation. Against every expectation Herbert had read many books and had an excellent taste in music, something you wouldn't say at first sight. Once or twice he even felt a laugh escaping his throat and by the time they returned to the castle his opinion about the count's son had changed dramatically.

Yes, Herbert was feminine, clingy and knew almost every dubious comment in existence. But he was also caring, smart and courteous. He realised that he had judged the other man wrong and felt that maybe, just maybe, it wouldn't be so bad to have Herbert as his friend. He felt lighter after their conversation, less worries crowded his mind and he felt safer as ever before.


End file.
